Game apparatus



18, .1931 H. WALDEN 1,819,932

GAME APPARATUS Filed May 25, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l g 1931- I H. L. WALDEN 1,819,932

GAME APPARATUS -Fi1ed May 25, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l 0 H Harold L. wazd e f ATTORNEYS.

Patented Aug. 18, 1931 HAROLD L. WALDEN, OF HELENA, MONTANA GAME APPARATUS Application filed May 25,

The present invention relates to ame apparatus and the primary object of t e invention is to provide a convertible game board for playing games simulating basketball and 5 football.

A further object of the invention is to provide a game apparatus of this character having removable and interchangeable goals permitting different games being played by 10 the apparatus,

y A further object of the invention is to provide game apparatus embodying a folding field board which when folded provides a container for the playing elements and 15 goals of the apparatus.

A further object of the invention is to provide game apparatus of this character embodying a playing field adapted to have goals associated with each end thereof with 20 suit-able shooters or drivers for use byopponents playing the game for driving a ball thru the goals.

a A still further object of the invention is to provide game apparatus. which will be 20 extremely interesting and requiring considerable skill in endeavoring to drive a ball on the playing field thru the opponents goal.

A still further object resides in the novel construction of the goals whereby the goals may be rigidly erected at the ends of the playing field and when removed are collapsible into compact form for ready storage in the folding field board. v

A still further object of the invention is to provide game apparatus of this character having-a score board of novel construction arranged at one side of the field board.

' .Other objects andadvanta ges of the in- 0 vention will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification and in which drawings:

Fig re l is a perspective view of the game 1929. Serial no. 366,033.

apparatus shown set up for playing basket- Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of one end of the score board.

Figures 3 and 4 are side and top plan views respectively of the shooters or drivers employed for driving the ball about the playing field.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary section thru one end of the game board and showing the basketball goal in transverse section.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of one end of the game board and showing a different type of goal for use when playing football.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a basketball goal.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the football goal.'

In the drawings and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts thruout the several views, the improved game apparatus includes a game board 5 transversely divided midway its ends as on the line 6 and forming game board sections adapted to be folded upon one another for compactness of the apparatus when not in use. The game board 5 includes a top rectangular-shaped field board 7 having upstanding side boards 8 extending along its side edges and upstanding end boards 9 along each end of the field board. These side and end boards 8 and 9 respectively provide border rails about the entire playingfield 7 for retainin the game pieces within the playing field. he adjacent ends of the divided side boards or rails 8 are preferably rounded at their upper sides as shown in Figure 1 and are hingedly connected by straps 10 pivotally connected by pins 11 to the adjacent ends of theside o board sections whereby the game board sectlons are foldable one upon another with the edges of the boards 8'and 9 abutting.

Corner guide posts 12 are preferably proi Jbftiallly with goals F for use whenvidedoiie in eachdiagonal corner of u the field board for aligning the game board sec- 1 tionswhen folded, and" a suitable strap and buckle Band 13 respectively is provided onthe .end boards 9-for retaining the game board in a'folded'position.

Extending inwardly from eac'hside board 7 8, spaced-from and parallel with the end board ,9,"are barrier strips 14' preferablyof m a height equal" to thefboards. 8 and 9, and

Y behind the foul line 18"are a similar number of correspondingly arranged circular markers 20 preferably colored blue. The as 'markers 20 and 20 are preferably of eleven in number and are arranged directly in front of the open gate ways formed between the inner ends of thebarrier strips 14. A

set of eleven men or game'pieces 22 is proaorvided fforthe ,markers 20, while aset of eleven men or game pieces 23 areprovided for the markers The men or game pieces22 and 23 are preferably formed'with disc-shaped bases 24 of a diameter substanequ'al to the diameter of the circular mar ers, and upstandingcylindrical posts "25 secured axially-of the base24. The discshaped-base plates 24 are provided to prevent too easy tilting of the game pieces, and

w the posts of the-game pieces are consecu- Jtively numbered from 1 to @11- as shown in t p Figure 6. The game pieces'22 for association with the markers 20 are preferably col- 'ored red corresponding to the coloring of 86 the markers, whilethe game pieces for association with the" markers ably colored blue. "1

, When playingbasketball, with only five I players for each side, five of the game pieces 50 are placed in the osition as shownbyuthe game ieces 23, an it is preferred that suitablec aractersas at 26 in Figure 1 be 'de;

26 are preferl I lineated upon the playi g field f F 1 9 lacin o the game pieces when playing asket all. Certain of the characters 26 may delineated directl withinflthe circu'lar markers so that a line of the game i pieces will be formed across the open gate 50 The letter B designates as a whole, the goals for-.iuse in the game apparatus when playing basketball. pair of the goals B is provided; one for each end .of the playing field and these goals are. interchangeable playing football.

cal goal board 30 provided with a semi-cir- 1 cular shaped opening 31 baring its straight opening. This goal-board is. of a length the gateway with its ends {substantially abutting with the inner ends pf the barrier strips 14 whereby the goal board and barvrier strips form a continuous barrier across each end of the playing field forwardly of the end pockets l6 and 16. A means is proedge extending alongthe lrpper side of the .70 equal to the gate-way 15 an'djis disposed 1nvided for detachably supporting the goal board in position, and embodies aii arch bar- .32 which may be formed from a suitable gage of wire having a loop or eye 33 formed at its upper end for pivotal connection with the upper edge of the'goal board at its longitudinal center. The arch bar 32 extends rearwardly and downwardly from the goal board. and has its lower end removably insertable into an opening 43 provided in an anchoring block 34. Extended across the rear side of the goal board beneath the opening 31 is an anchor. wire 35 having its ends projected slightly beyond the ends of the goal board and slightly forwardly offset and downturned to form side pins 36 adapted to be slipped downwardly into suitable openings 44 provided adjacent the inner ends of the barrier-strips 14 whereby the lower portion of the goal board is held in alignment H between the barrier strips. Pivoted t-o the front side of the goal board as upon a bail 38 pivotally connected to the goal board beneath the opening 31 is a substantially triangular-shaped lift block 40 providing an inclined lifting face which acts to lift the basketball 42 thru the opening 31 as illustrated in Figure 5. The lift block is pivotally mounted in the arms of the bail 38 which allows for the block to rest flat upon the playing'field when the goal B is erected for use. The basketball goals may be readily removed from. their operative position between the barrier strips-thru withdrawing the arch bar and keeper pins 36 from their respective receiving openings 43' and 44 and after which the arch bar 32 may be swung to a position against the rear side of the goal board and the lift block 40 swung to a position against the front side of the goal .board for allowing the basketball collapsed into a substantially flat form. Shooters or drivers 45 are provided for impelling the basketball 42 and football 46 about the playing field, and these shooters preferably consist of cylindrical cues47 having slidably mounted thereon a tubular sleeve 48. The cue 47 is provided with a pin 49 working in a slot 50 provided intermediate theends of the sleeve for limiting sli-ding movement-of the sleeve on the cue. At the rear end of the sleeve 48 thecue is provided with a pin 51 which may engage goal to be elastic band-52 is looped, the band extending longitudinally along the sleeve and hav ing its opposite end looped about the stop pin 51. In using the shooter, a player grips the sleeve 48 in one hand and with the other hand grasps the rear end of the cue and draws the cue rearwardly thru the sleeve for the limit of the slot 50. Releasing the grip on the rear end of the cue 47 allows the elastic band 52 to draw thecue for- I wardly with a quick motion so that the, forward rounded end 54 of the cue will impart an impelling blow to the ball. Two, four, six or more persons may play the game and it is preferred that a shooter be provided for each player.

A novel score board'is provided for keep ing the score of the two teams and this score board is preferably mounted upon the inner side of one of the side boards 8 in such manner as to not interfere with playing of the game nor'folding of the game board on the fold line 6. The score board is niounted by the flat brackets 55 upon the inner surface of the side board and is provided with a number of independent pockets 56 for receiving separately numbered score cards 57 preferably having beveled upper edges as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The insides of each of the two terminally disposed pockets is formed of transparent material as at 58 in Figure 2 for allowing the numerals 59 on the score cards to be readily observed thru the transparent wall. The terminal pockets of the score board are intended to be used by the team playing from that end of the game board.

Referring now to the goal F which is interchangeable with the goal B for use when playing football, the same is preferably con structed from a suitable gage of wire and is of substantially inverted U-formation providing a top cross rail 60 and upright side arms 61 being offset adjacenttheir lower ends parallel with the cross rail 60 as at 62, the offset 62 forming rest portions'having downturned ends forming keeper pins 63 for slidably fitting in the openings 44 in the barrier strips 14. A brace bar or arm 64 is provided for bracing the frame and has its upper end looped about the cross rail 60 as at 65 for pivotally connecting the arm to the rail. The lower end of the arm is offset to provide a keeper pin 66 adapted to be slipped into the opening 43 provided in the block 34. The goal F is intended to span the gate way 15 and when in position has the rest portions 62 engaging upon the upper edges of the barrier strips 14. Pivotal connection of the brace arm to the U-shaped frame allows collapsing of the football goal to a substantially fiat form.

In playing the gameof basketballthe ball 42 is usedand five of each set of game pieces 22 and 23 are arranged in order on the numerals designated at 26. The goals B are erected in the gate ways 15 with the players of the separate teams playing the game at opposite ends of the game board. The object of the game is to use the shooters 45 to drive the ball 42 at the opponents game pieces so. as to knock the game pieces aside and have the ball rolled over the rest block 40 thru the goal opening 31. The game is preferably played fora stated length of time and should the game pieces be knocked over they are again set up in a position where they fall until after the time of the game has expired and after which the game pieces are replaced in their proper order across the goal post. In playing the game the players of one team are not allowed to shoot the ball when inside of the opponents foul line and must wait until the ball is again moved into the open field between the foul lines.

When playing football, all eleven of the game pieces 22 and 23 are placed upon their respectively colored markers 20 and 20 and the football simulation 46 is used and impelled by the shooters 45. In playing football the goals B are removed and the goals -F substituted and the object of the game is to shoot the ball at the opponents game pieces trying to make a clear way thru the goal. I

The scores when playing basketball or football may be kept by the opposing teams upon the score board, and the scoring may correspond to the regular scoring when parent that a novel construction for thegoals has been provided whereby the same are readily interchangeable and when not in use may be collapsed into substantially flat form. It will further be apparent that a novel construction for the shooters has been disclosed whereby the same are of rigid construction and may beeasily handled for propelling the balls about the playing field in a skillful manner.

Changes in detail may be made to the form of invention herein .shown and described, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claims. I

I claim: y

1. A game apparatus comprising a game board having a playing field, a bordering rail about the field, barrier strips projecting inwardly in aligning relation from each side of the field adjacent opposite ends thereof with their inner ends spaced to form gate ways, a removable goal for each gate way embodying keeper pins removably in'sertable into the inner ends of the barrier stripsfor supporting the goals vertically in said gate ways. a set of game pieces for resting upon the field inwardly of each goal, a ball for movement over the field, and means for impelling the ball.

2. A game apparatus comprising a game board having a playing field, barrier strips projecting inwardly over the field adjacent each end of the field and'having their inner ends spaced to provide gate ways betweenthe inner ends of the barrier strips, said barrier strips adjacent inner ends havingupwardly opening pockets, a block mounted rearwardly of each gate way and having an upwardly opening pocket, a removable goal removably mounted in each gate way embodying keeperpins removably insertable into the pockets of the barrier strips and a brace arm for removable insertion into the pocket in said block, a set of game pieces for placing upon the field inwardly of each goal, a ball for movement over the playing field, and impelling means for the ball.

3. In game apparatus for simulating the playing of basketball, the combination of a playing field, and goals for removable mounting adjacent each end of the field each embodying a vertical goal board having an opening adj acent'its upper end, a bail pivoted to the front side of the board below the opening, a triangular-shaped lift block piv otally supported between the arms of the bail for resting upon the playing field in front of the goal board, and a brace arm pivotally connected at its upper end to the upwardly opening pocket, a block mounted rearwardly of each gate way and having an upwardly opening pocket, a goal for each gate way embodylng an inverted U-frame havlng offset keeper pins at its lower end'for engagement in the pockets of the barrier strips and a brace arm connected with the upper end of the frame and adapted to have its lower end slipped into the pocket in said block, a set of game pieces for placing upon the field inwardly of each gate way, a ball impelling means for the ball.

5. In a collapsible goal for game a paratus simulating the playing of basket all, a vertical goal board having a semi-circular shaped opening spaced above its lower edge,

for movement over the playing field, and v 

